Random Lines

We were kings then. Kings who wore crooked crowns and mischievous grins as we drank from the well of life. All the while adventure and trouble played the jester and fortune became our favored queen.

All Good Things Must Come To An End

Well hello there, remember me? I'm that guy who's blog you occassionally read and I occassionally update? Haha, it feels like it's been forever since the last time I've posted a blog. I'll see what I can do in this post.

As of last week, it's been 3 months since I first landed in India. The mile-mark not only demonstrates the length of time I've been in India, but also how long India has been influencing me. I am, admittedly (and slightly proudly), no longer a tourist in India. I have certain mannerisms and phrases which have clearly been picked up in my travels. I've become slightly familiar with the various cultures that make up the tapestry called India. And yet, I'm still very much a stranger here. Not a tourist and not a resident, I live in this in between place where I talk Indian politics with Indians and yet will never fully understand what it truly means to be Indian.

Yet the thought of the day is: What does it mean to "be Indian?" This is an answer which is difficult, if not impossible, to answer. Punjabis and Bengalis have different dialects, customs, and outlooks. What was fashionable for men in Uttar Pradesh was thought as feminine in Punjab. The language of the Tamils is not shared by those in Delhi. Even my Mizo friends are considered "fake Chinese" rather than true Indians. So if language, customs, religion, appearance, etc are not shared amongst Indians, what does it really mean to be Indian? For that matter, what does it mean to be anything? Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, European Americans, etc are all incredible different. So what does it mean to be American? But these differences are dwarfed when compared to the diversity of India. A diversity which is both the strength and weakness of the nation. Only time will tell if these differences can be unified in a diversity which allows the nation to prosper.

Insofar as my life is concerned, I spent a relaxing week in Delhi with my Mizo brothers. Contrary to my original expectations, Dr. Thanzauva was still in Aizawl meaning on John and Mapuia were there. Staying with John (28) and Mapuia (21) was like being back in college. We stayed up until 2 am watching movies, debating, and talking about our celebrity "girlfriends." After two weeks of traveling, there was something nourishing to the soul to be amongst people who could joke about silly things with or debate some issue in music. I really enjoyed being with them and it was hard to leave them behind in Delhi.

Now I'm here in Kolkata for the last 3 days of my time in India. Kolkata is a very different city than Delhi. Kolkata has 14 million people all crammed together in a city 4 times too small for its population. And its incredibly hot here which complicates the matter. Nevertheless, I'm enjoying myself and being reminded of both why I will miss India and why I'll be happy to return. My hotel is part of a Mizo community here in Kolkata and my room literally overlooks Mother Teresa's charity. My plan is to see the Victorian Memorial (a remnant of the British rule in India) and a couple of traditional Kolkata sites. Then on Thursday I hop on a plane and head back to the States.

I'm looking forward to being back in the States and interested to see how my time in India has reshaped my understanding of the US. So many things are different here. I've grown accustomed to living without so many things which are considered essentials in the US (AC, hot water, showers, reliable electricity, washer & dryer, etc). At any rate, it'll be great to see family and friends again. Of course, I don't know how the seminary expects me to be adjusted and ready for classes to begin just two weeks later. But such is the life of a traveler I guess. I leave India only to begin the next adventure of Maximum Security Prison chaplaincy and Middler Year seminary studies. But such is life, each day we begin another adventure anew. What adventure are you off on today?

pax et bonum

Ancient Wonders & Tourists

Ew, life here in India seems to be moving at lightening speed although the weeks seem to passby slowly. At any rate, I'm sitting in an internet cafe here in Amritsar passing the time away so I thought I might update my blog while I'm at it. I'll try to be concise but I have so much to share it might be a bit tough. At any rate, here's what's new in my life:

I left Varanasi and headed by train to Agra. Agra is a city built around a monument: the Taj Mahal. The Taj, as you probably know, is one of the wonders of the ancient world. The locals like to say it's the ultimate monument to love as the massive structure was built by the king as a mossoleum to his wife who died in childbirth. My time in Agra was short but filled with lots of good stories. I saw the Taj from various angles and multiple times in the day. The first is when I snuck down the beach by a park to get a nice picture of the Taj at sunset. It was a funny place to take a photo as a herd of donkeys were grassing behind me long the shore and trash from former sight-seers filled the ground.

At a popular restaraunt in Agra, I met some German tourists who were planning on seeing the Taj the next morning. After a long talk, they invited me to join them on their travels. So, the next day I toured Agra with some nice German girls seeing the Taj, the Agra Fort (where the King was imprisoned for a number of years), and we even went to one of the upscale pools to swim. But those are stories for another time. Back to what you really want to read about, the Taj is every bit as good as people and pictures tell you it is. Although I would argue from a far it's not incredibly awe-ing, once you're upclose it's incredible. The intricate designs and marble work is truly amazing. It's funny because within the Taj area everyone is constantly turning around as they walk just to look again at the Taj. It's like you can't take your eyes off of it and you marvel at how the light hits the building in different ways as you walk around. I think Bill Clinton was right when he said, "There are two types of people in this world: Those who have seen the Taj and those who haven't."

The next day I met some nice French girls on my way to the ancient city of Fatephur Sikri. The three of us walked around the abandoned capital of a once great empire. The city is actually a world heritage site and it was cool to walk around an ancient palace trying to imagine what life would have been like hundreds of years ago there.

After that, I hopped on a train and headed to Amritsar. Amritsar is a small city located near the India-Pakistan border in the northwest part of India. The city is like Mecca to Sikhs who come on pilgrimage to the Golden Temple. The Golden Temple is quite beautiful and the inner court of the complex allows a great reprieve from the congested streets of Amritsar. Although I'm here for 3 days, it seems I over-estimated how much there is to do here.

Yesterday, while eating a meal at the temple I made friends with some Israeli tourist and we all went to the Pakistan border. Here, every night at sundown, the Indian and Pakistani border troops participate in a ceremony of pure bravado. Filled with loud chanting, shouts, fancy high kicks, and more the two sides display their skill. The scene has become so popular that there are bleachers set up for visitors and they were completely packed with people cheering for India. Think of it like a pep rally for India. It was crazy, I'll have to show you video for it to really make sense but it was quite fun.

So that's the main updates from my life. As you can see, I've begun to participate in the joys of traveler culture. In India, you're pretty easy to pick out as a tourist so among ourselves there's always the courtesy of saying hello. But often with us younger travelers we enjoy spending the day traveling to the sites together just to have other people or different people to talk to. So that's been fun especially since I'm on my own until I get to Delhi. Why are all the tourists I meet up with girls? I don't know. That's a good question. Hmmm.... hahah

Anyways, although I've done most of what there is to do in Amritsar (Golden Temple, Border Ceremony) I think I there are some temples I can visit and of course there's always just relaxing. Which is probably how I'll spend the rest of today. Sunday morning I leave for Delhi to catch up with Dr. Thanzauva and family which I'm looking forward to. It'll be nice to spend a week with some familiar faces after a week on the road. Also, today marks exactly 2 wks before I arrive back in the Lone Star State. Get excited America, I'm still coming back. Well, that's all I have for you now. Update to come mid-next week from Delhi.

pax et bonum

Incredible India

After leaving Mizoram I spent the night and the morning of the next day in Kolkatta. The difference was night and day, in fact I'm slowly overcoming a second culture shock. Mizoram is a peaceful place with lush, green rolling hills and friendly people. Entering Kolkatta is like a sensory bomb going off in your mind. There are so many people, vehicles, buildings, sights, and sounds that your mind literally cannot process all the information being sent to it at once. Rev. Zolawma set me up at a Mizoram guest house next to Mother Teresa's Mission (called "Motherhouse"). This section of town is less crowded and the streets have far less beggars so it was a nice place to slowly get adjusted.

The next day I was on a train headed out to Gaya. The train's I've booked are all AC units because I refuse to be on a train for 6-24 hrs during an Indian summer without AC (one 2.5 hr car ride from Waco to Houston without AC taught me that). The AC cars have small sections with bunk beds essentially. Thus far, I've had the top bunk which has been fun since only the bottom bunk can be converted into a bed. So my 6'2" body plus backpack must squeeze into a bunk made for someone who is 5'5".

My stay in Gaya was a quick one but filled with various happenings. I stopped in Gaya because it is the train station about 12 km away from Bodhgaya, the place where the Buddha achieved enlightenment. After a quick dinner and rest, I made the trip from Gaya to Bodhgaya via auto-rickshaw. Bodhgaya is an interesting place because the town is filled with Buddhist monasteries belonging to the major centers of Buddhism (i.e. China, Japan, Thailand, Tibet, etc.). I made my way to the temple built around the sacred spot where the Buddha meditated. I wish I could say I was able to spend some time under the Bodhi Tree contemplating the nature of the universe like the Buddha did over two millenia ago. However, my reflection was cut short as hustlers always wanted to talk to me. Here are some common Indian hustles:

"Hello sir, I am an English student and I would like to practice my English with you!"

"Hello sir, you are a foreigner so let me show you around the town." [After which the person will try to charge a large, bogus "tour guide fee"]

"Sir, instead of auto-rickshaw I will take you around on my motorcycle if you just pay for gas."

Basically, in India if anyone approaches you acting friendly or trying to help you, they just want your money. If you have to approach someone to help you, they will kindly do it for free. Needless to say, in the past few days I've begun to practice my anti-hustler techniques. Much to my mother's joy, I haven't really felt any danger at any point. I suppose being a foot taller than everyone helps but also because most people just want to cheat you, not hurt you (there's more money in a good con haha). But other than the hustlers, everyone is very nice. I walked into a Thai monastery and listened to a young monk talk for a while about Buddhist practices and his life as a monk. I snuck into a Tibetan monastery and ate momo during the heat of the day before having a big adventure traveling way out into the country to see the Dungeswari Cave Temple where the Buddha meditated.

Since my adventures in Gaya, I've been here in Varanasi staying with a former PTS student who has been kind enough to take me in. His name is Kerry, a PhD student at UC-Santa Barbra doing research on a unique expression of Christianity. He has been not only a great new friend, but an incredible resource into the life of people here in Varanasi. For instance, because of his contacts here in the city we were able to attend a Pentecostal home worship service amongst the dolet (formerly called "untouchable") community. I've been able to walk along the ghats, where Hindus come each day on pilgrimage to bathe in the holy river Ganges. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Hindu culture, Varanasi is Hinduism Jerusalem or Mecca. In addition, it's one of the oldest cities in the world with a culture that's remained nearly intact. The city would be akin to Athens if you could still go up to the Acropolis and listen to philosophers and intellectuals teaching.

I've eaten at incredible local restaurants and met a lot of friendly locals as well. Although I can't speak any Hindi, Kerry is able to translate everything for me. Today was quite hilarious as we found ourselves in a seminar marketing computer training software in a pyramid scheme. I wish I had time to write about it but needless to say I had a very enthusiastic young man sitting next to me yelling into my ear when to clap, shout, stand up, and telling me how many rupees I could make. Fun stuff. Oh, and I took a walk/boat ride at sunrise along the ghats to see the brahmins (holy men) praying, chanting, and performing ritual bathing alongside other devotees. As you can see, my brain is a little scattered. I've got so many experiences in my head to process it's tough to commit them all to page. Indeed, I think tonight Kerry wants us to go out after dinner to see a Shiva temple.

It'll be sad to leave Kerry and Varanasi tomorrow night as I'm just beginning to scratch the surface here. There is so much to this city to explore and to learn it's a pity I have such little time here. From here I'll spend a few days in Agra to see the Taj Mahal and other famous sites in the city. Then it's off to Amristar to spend three days admiring the Golden Temple and holy city of the Sikhs. On the 22nd I'll make my way to Delhi to say with Dr. Thanzauva and his sons who I befriended at AICS. By that time I'm sure I'll be desperate for some time with friends so I look forward to spending the week with them. Delhi will probably be my next chance for internet so I hope this blog can hold you over until then. Of course, time on the road might force me to spend some internet time connecting with the outside world so I might seek some time in at Amristar.

I hope all is well with everyone back home and although I am really enjoying my travels I look forward to some time stateside. Thanks for all the comments everyone, until next time...

pax et bonum

Closing Time

Well dear readers, my time in Mizoram has come to a close. I am now within 24 hours of leaving the place I have called home for the summer. While I felt like a stranger when I first arrived, I now consider many people here dear friends and family.

This past week has been incredibly busy as I've tried to finish up all my paperwork for Princeton and tie up any loose ends. In fact, PTS requires a 25 page report about my summer placement so I spent much of last week in the computer lab typing that up. A large part of my report focused on the negative effects of westernization on Mizos and the unconscious import of ethnocentric messages by the first missionaries. Perhaps one day I'll convert that into a paper and let you read it.

I also had fun this week because Friday night a set up a dance for the seminary. Mizos are a singing people but outside of traditional dances they don't have much. So we got together in the chapel, plugged in my iPod, and I started teaching them some different stuff. Since Mizos have a fascination with Texas and cowboys, I taught them a simple line dance and how to Texas two step. We had such a great time and I loved how energetic everyone was to learn. After about an hour or so most of the students left to get ready for church in the morning, but a couple guys stuck around and I taught them some hip hop moves.

When I got on the bus to go to church this morning, all the students said they had so much fun last night that we had to do it again. They told me when to be at the chapel tonight so that we could have another dance. One student said, "Austin! We should've been doing this all summer!" I loved it. Since I enjoy getting people together to dance everywhere I go, it's only right that India be no exception. We even had a faculty member join last night which was hilarious.

My time in Mizoram has been filled with joy and lots of time spent in quiet reflection. I've really treasured my time here and I consider it a great blessing. I can't believe that two months have gone by so fast. It seems like just yesterday I arrived here. Now I'm 25 days away from being back in the US but a great adventure is in store before then.

Here's the basic itinerary of my trip for the next 3 weeks:
8/10-8/11 Bodhgaya
8/12-8/14 Varanasi
8/15-8/18 Agra
8/19-8/21 Amristar
8/22-27 New Delhi
8/29-9/2 Kolkata

If I get access to the internet during my travels I will be sure to keep you posted. I imagine my updates will come about once a week, as they have here in Mizoram. Well, I hope you've enjoyed reading about my time in Mizoram as I have writing about it. One journey ends and another one begins. Until next time,

Pax et bonum

Lessons from the Bru on Poverty

My last two weeks here in Mizoram have been an all out blitz. Everyday I'm busy writing, editing, teaching, or traveling somewhere. Everyone here, including myself, is trying to make the most of my last few days here so I always feels as though I'm just coming from or about to go to an event. Monday, however, was a special event.

My alarm clock went off at about 4:45 am, much to my displeasure. Living in a place with no A/C, you cherish cool rainy nights because you actually get some good rest. However, I had to be awaken from pleasant slumber to hop in a car with the AICS chaplain so we could begin our travels out to a Bru (sp?) village.

The Bru are an ethnic minority here in Mizoram living mostly in small rural villages in the western part of the state. Either due to culture or location (I'm not sure which), these people have not modernized in the same way that those in Aizawl or Lunglei have. Or perhaps living in Aizawl, the capital city, has skewed my perspective. Either way, Rev. Zolawma wanted me to visit the Bru so I could be exposed to the way poor, rural people live in Mizoram.

The trip took about 5.5 hours to make as the chaplain and I had to navigate the difficult roads of Mizoram in his small car. Traveling on roads nearly washed out in something akin to a Pinto can be a little difficult but at about 10:30 am we reached the village. The village we visited, whose name escapes me at the moment, is the largest Bru settlement in Mizoram. Here there are about 600-700 huts. These huts are incredibly basic because they are modeled after the traditional homes.

A traditional Bru hut sits raised 3 or 4 ft off the ground on large bamboo posts. The four walls are made of bamboo thatch work (no nails or pegs) and the roof is composed of leaves. The inside is just one large room without an interior dividers. In one corner is a fireplace which is much more akin to a campfire than what you're probably imagining. Although I was invited into one of the homes, the chaplain marveled at the modernization of many of the huts. As I discovered, "modernization" meant some huts had tin roofs, four walls (the front of a traditional hut was left open), and some houses had televisions that ran off of batteries. I realized quickly the size of the scales which were over my eyes since I wouldn't have associated a tin roof with modernization (at least not in the past 100 yrs). Nevertheless, his remarks were quite accurate as you could see some of the effects of modernization and globalization amongst certain members of the community.

When we arrived, we were greeted by the faculty of the local Baptist High School which provides education to some 200 students ranging from kindergarten to high school. A lunch had been prepared for the chaplain and I which we were happy to take since we haven't eaten anything but some small crackers. There was little time for small talk though because all the children were waiting for us to visit the school (we arrived about an hour late). Although I didn't realize until I got there, the school had prepared a special reception for me.

As I walked into the large room, the children all stared in amazement at me. Not because of my dashing good looks but more because a 6'2" white man is not something you'll see often for the Bru (the chaplain actually described it as a 'once in a lifetime experience' for them). The chaplain and I were seat at the front of the room at a special table with the headmaster facing all the students. I must admit, I felt a bit odd considering the nature of my reception. I was treated as though I was a special dignitary from the United States on tour or something. I was humbled by the event as I didn't feel worthy of such a welcome.

These feelings came not only as I sat down, but as the program began. An 1-1.5 hr long program had been made for me to showcase the school. The kindergarten classes sang songs, elementary students recited Bible verses, junior high girls sang solos, the high school chior performed, and some high school students even did a traditional Bru dance. I did my best to take some pictures and videos as I also wanted to pay attention to the students.

After the performances, I was asked to say a few words to the students. In many ways, I repeated some of the things I told the students in Lunglei: work hard at your studies, you can be whatever you want to be, and maybe one day you can visit a far away place. I told them a couple stories about growing up in Texas and they loved my stories about feeding Texas longhorns. As a result, I've decided that if you are a Texan cowboy then everyone in the world loves you. Except the Yanks in America, but that's only because they're jealous haha.

Anyways, I wasn't done just with speaking because the chaplain got up and asked the kids if they would like to see some kung fu. The kids all cheered so I did a quick demonstration for them. As I began my demonstration, I noticed that the outside of the room was lined with villagers. Apparently, the parents of the children had requested to watch the event because they were just as interested to see a white person. I was glad to see them but it's an odd sensation to be the main event of someone's month. At any rate, I had a great time and at the end we passed out some candy we brought to give to the children.

After a quick tour of some parts of the village and some tea, it was back in the car for the chaplain and I. At about 1:45 pm, we began the journey home. Around 7:20, we finally made it back to AICS completely exhausted. The tough roads, heavy monsoon rains we encountered for most of the way home, and length of the day wore us both out. But I was really happy to make the trip.

Post-visit I have a lot of thoughts and comments which I don't have time to make here as breakfast will soon be served. Suffice it to say, I'm thinking about what it means to be "poor." "Poor" in America in no way captures the reality faced by most people in the world. I mean, think about it, are you poor if you don't own a car? Are you poor if you only have 3 pairs of shoes? Are you poor if you only own 7 shirts? are you poor if you don't own a TV? In Mizoram, if you have 7 shirts, 3 pairs of shoes, and a TV you're actually living pretty well. I had a faculty person say I had so much stuff here in Mizoram and yet everything I brought can fit inside the backpack I use for luggage. Think about it.

What about our lives is esssential? What about them are things we think are essential but actually aren't? If you have reliable and easy access to clean drinking water, sufficient food, basic education, and medical care are you still considered poor? What does it mean to be poor? That's the question of the day.

pax et bonum

TNT & Samsara

Today was quite a different day than I usually have around Mizoram because I visited one of the Christian social work centers. The experience was enlightening, challenging, encouraging, disheartening, and sobering all at the same time. The site I visited was Thutak Nunpuitu Team (TNT), one of the most popular organizations here in Mizoram. Founded in 1988 by an itinerate evangelist and healer, TNT literally means "those who live by truth team." As one church leader described the organization, "TNT is a strong organization engaged in uplifting destitute and marginalized people. The association makes use of different approaches in its ministry."

TNT has a staff of 68 workers who serve the 1,000 recipients comprised of orphans, recovering drug addicts, special needs, and impoverished. The enormous number of people in which the organization serves makes the site incredible. TNT exists as a campus sitting in the hills outside Aizawl. I didn't take any pictures of the place because I didn't want to seem like a tourist so this account will serve as the memory I have.

My tour began with a glimpse into the kitchen where the cooks were getting their first break of the day. Cooking for the first meal of the day begins at 1 am as huge black pots rougly 4 ft in diameter and 3 ft high are used to make breakfast. My guide said that cooking will continue non-stop for the rest of the day as finishing one meal simply begins the task of preparing for the next meal. Which makes sense when you consider that 1,000+ people must be fed twice a day (Mizos traditionally do not take lunch).

Next, we moved to the rehab center TNT runs. The center is divided into two sections based upon the progress of the participants. When a new person arrives, they are moved into a dorm until there are 10 people and then the treatment process begins. The dorms are much like barracks: large buildings with two rows of bunks running the length of the room. Beds are basic: wooden frame, bamboo thatch work for a mattress, blanket, and pillow. Each day operates under a tight schedule posted outside the hostel encompassing breakfast, cleaning the area, lecture, counseling, sermon, cleaning, counselling, dinner, prayers, sleep. I assume the schedule helps keep the minds of those in rehab off the thoughts of addiction.

From the rehab center we walked down to the orphanage. The orphanage houses aproximately 400 children ranging from elementary to high school. TNT employs teachers (who work for very little money) to educate the children in hopes that upon leaving they can get a job to support themselves. Many children are either former street children or literal orphans placed here by extended family. When I was there, class had ended so the children were running around playing with balls made of plastic bags tied with plastic netting to make a softball sized ball.

The dorms for children were quite saddening to see. The dorms were again in barrack like fashion but slightly altered. For example, the boys dorm was a large building divided into three or four sections probably 20 x 30 ft. The sides of the sections had two large concrete slabs, one above the other like bunk beds. The slabs, as I found out, were the beds for the children. The boys get a thin blank to place on their section of the concrete slab and then a worn, thin comforter with pillow. Since the children were awake I didn't see anyone sleeping but I could only imagine 300 boys sleeping next to each other on these concrete slabs called beds. The girls' dorm had the same set up but seemed a bit cleaner.

After exploring the orphanage section (the different functions of the campus are quite literal sections with clear distinctions), we visited the special needs area. This area particularly struck a cord with me. Perhaps subconscious flashbacks to my time in Mexico in high school began to play. Regardless, we entered through the gate where a large amount of construction was being done to create a new building for the patients. Here is where the understaffing of TNT really began to be displayed (in case you missed it, 68 workers for 1,000 people are not good numbers). The special needs children and adults are basically left to sit around or wander in gated areas with one or two supervisors watching. Their sleeping conditions are the same as the children. I almost lost it as I walked past a man lying on the concrete slab wrapped in his blanket like a cacoon. I'm no expert on caring for those with special needs, but I feel I can confidently say that these people could use many more caretakers.

We concluded our tour by checking out the dorm for the ranchhands and farms that work at TNT. As I discovered, TNT raised their own chickens, turkeys,and cattle to feed the residents. In addition, they grow many of their own crops to consume. As a result, TNT seeks to be as self-sustaining as possible in regards to food consumption. A great idea although the wooden floor was so old and filled with holes I was worried the floor would give out from under me.

Thus was the end of my tour of TNT. By the time came to leave, my head and heart were swirling with a number of complex emotions. On the one hand, I was saddened to see the living conditions of the children, recovering drug addicts, and special needs people living at TNT. Yet on the other hand, I couldn't deny that although I would consider the conditions far beyond sub-standard or acceptable, this was the best that could be provided. I mean, where else would these people go? TNT is providing as best they can so I have to be thankful and appreciative of that. And although I know I cannot demand standards which simply don't exist here, I couldn't help but wish TNT was able to provide more. But I imagine these sentiments would be shared by the TNT staff as well. Most of the staff, by the way, are unpaid and live and work at TNT solely because they wish to help people. That's truly inspiring.

Nevertheless, my tour of TNT reawakened the unsettling emotions which I have managed to escape from in the past two months in Mizoram. My time at AICS and my trip to Lunglei all showed me the best that Mizoram has to offer. Yet Mizoram, just like anywhere else in the world, has its broken places as well. Seeing these places brought back the pain which my heart has grown accustomed too and social consciousness I've been trying to burn into my being. But perhaps it's best I explain what I'm talking about...

The Hindu tradition has a word called samsara which is central to its perspective. Samsara is Sanskirt meaning "flow" or "runaround." As Dr. Charles Ryerson writes,

The dominant metaphor for this word is water, either the ocean or a river. Samsara is what one must be liberated or saved from. In this view, as a person becomes more conscious, and consciousness is a key term, one feels more the frustrations and limitations of life. The deeper one thinks and feels, the more one finds that one is in pain because one longs for what the phenomenal world cannot give. This becomes genuine suffering on the deepest level.

Although I am not a Hindu, I think that this description properly describes a feeling that has developed in me over the past year. Indeed, before leaving for India I had a long conversation with my grandfather. He told me, "Austin, I feel as though you are not the same happy go lucky person that you were last summer. You have changed, become more serious." His remarks were not alone as a friend told me the same before I left Princeton. I went on to explain to my grandfather my experiences around the world which have been incredibly difficult for me to experience and process. Indeed, my growing awareness and meditation on the conditions of people around the world have lead to a growing cynicism and seriousness in my approach.

To be more clear, the more I travel around the world and the more I study, the greater my dissatisfaction with the world. To compound my state, I seem to experience the reality of my own limitations and subsequent frustrations. To know that right now people are dying from diseases cured fifty years ago, mothers choosing drugs over caring for their newborns, people killing each other, oppressing one another...well, such consciousness is a bit over-whelming. Perhaps for this reason when my mom asked about certain experiences I had in Africa I told her, "you don't want to know. It's best you not know some of the things I saw." The same is true for Princeton, Houston, Beijing, Aizawl, and everywhere else I've traveled.

I am reminded today of both why I am joining the ministry and why I am not the same person I was a year ago. My grandparents told me it's good to be aware but that I must also learn to accept that I can only do so much. I think that last part of advice is something I'm still struggling with. When I envision my future, I some times see myself back in Houston working amongst the poor and helping the city that birthed me. Yet, at other times (esp days like today) I can't help but think that I need to travel abroad to places where the standard of living is so far below what is considered poor in America. I guess ever since I was a child I wanted to change the world. But perhaps the world is not enough, I wish I could change the fundamental essense of the universe. I wish I could make poverty an outdated concept or idea that people study in history class but lack the historical proximity to truly understand the meaning of poverty.

But this is a fantasy. Even Jesus tells me, "the poor will always be among you." I must admit I'm now catching myself, realizing I'm bearing my soul to some readers who have never met me. My apologies. Suffice it to say, at this point in my life I am grappling with the reality of injustice while at the same time attempting to discern what role I will play in combating the issue. All the while ever reminded that no matter what I do, the powerful play will go on.

I will now attempt to close this long blog post. Indeed, if you've made it this far I applaud your diligence. What I want to leave you with is this: tonight, tomorrow, this week, this month I want you to look past the veil that is over our eyes. Go visit your local soup kitchen one Saturday morning or participate in your local faith traditions' social work program. See what life is like, have that experience placed into your consciousness. Then go live a life of generosity, kindness, love, and peace. You don't have to sell everything you own or quit your job to work at a prison ministry (or maybe for you that's true), but you do need to live a life marked by serving others. Because as a wise man once told me, "the world is in no greater need of people who say 'love your neighbor as yourself.' But the world is in desperate need of people who actually love like that."

pax et bonum

Dinners & Perspectives

Unlike previous weeks here in Mizoram, this past week seemed to move by very slowly. Of course, considering that the summer is suppose to be my break from the stresses of academic life I can't really complain. The ease of the week was due in part to my supervisor, Rev. Zolawma, being gone and Principal Hnuni leaving as well. As a result, I spent most of my week meeting with people and preparing for my classes.

Although I was sad to see Principal leave, her absense has opened new doors for me. While she was at AICS, Principal always had me join her and her family for meals. Now that she is gone, other faculty members and even students are inviting me to eat with them. So that's been a fun experience. Everyone here is so impressed that I'm able to eat Mizo food without problems and that I take my meals by using my hands like everyone else.

One night, Professor Ronmingliani had myself and another student over for dinner. She studied for about 5 yrs in the UK so she made a "Western" meal for us one night. We had chicken, mashed potatoes, corn with green beans, and peas. For a moment I thought I was back in the South haha. Afterwards, the three of us had a long discussion on the role of women in the church. I never realized how much of a feminist I am until I arrived here and have been an advocate for women in the ministry. I also didn't realize how much random information is stuck up in my head. I feel like the computer who wore tennis shoes. Students will ask me about the history of the decline of the church in Europe, my theology of Scripture or missiology, the changing view of marriage in the US, etc. I'll begin to answer talking about cultural trends, theological shifts, key leaders, etc. then stop and think to myself, "how did I know that?" Guess I actually did pay attention in class all those years at Baylor. Naw, I probably just saw that stuff on TV haha.

I've also eaten with the students in the dorm (or "hostel" as it's called here) a couple times. That's been an interesting experience and opened my eyes up a lot. The first funny thing is how quiet the students are when they eat. Mizos, as I've noticed, are much more comfortable sitting in silence with one another than Americans are. The cafeteria is no different as students eat silently then rush off to the next event. The daily schedule here is so packed that student eat very quickly (15-20 mins) then head off to class or worship service.

In the States, I think students really take for granted all the services that are provided for them. At PTS, I've really made it a point to get to know the cafeteria staff, cleaning people, etc. because I am thankful for all their work. But being here takes my gratitude to another level. Students at AICS are responsible for serving the food, preparing and cleaning the dining hall, and washing dishes. That's on top of the gardening (which entails literally cutting the grass with knives because there are no lawn mowers here), picking up trash, helping with building projects, and more. I would imagine that US students would not attend a seminary where the students did all the maintenance work (admittedly I might not be soo keen on the idea) but here everyone does the work because that's what you have to do in order to get an education.

So the next time you're walking around the office, at your house, the mall, or wherever, stop and take the 30 secs required to say hello and thank you to the people who make your life work. The security guard, the cleaning people, the gardeners, etc. Just like you, they're doing a tough job and probably so you don't have to. So say thanks at least. But even better if you get to know them. When you treat everyone with dignity and respect, the world will look a whole lot different.

Anyways, aside from my sermonette, this week Rev. Zolawma has returned so life might return to a quick pace. I have a lot of trips to make in the next 3 weeks before I leave. I hope to visit some rural villages and also visit the social work programs around Aizawl. Also, I need to finish editting my paper for the faculty-student seminar. Then in a month, I'll be standing in front of the Taj...my life is ridiculous. Well, I guess that's all the updates I have for you. Have a good week.

pax et bonum

Fresh I Stay

So another week has come to a close here in Mizoram. As I think about what to write, I feel as though all I have to say is "same old, same old." But perhaps that thought is the new topic to write about for the week. It seems that after about a month and a half, I have slowly become adjusted to my life here in Mizoram. Driving through the streets of Aizawl, eating in local resturaunts, no A/C, showering with a bucket, etc have all become part of my normal life. It's crazy to think that many things I felt were standard parts of my lifestyle have become non-essentials now.

I've grown accustomed to concrete walls, Indian television stations, daily monsoon rains, and broken english. But I've truly enjoyed my time here thus far and it is still shocking to think that in 4 weeks I will leave here for mainland India. My time here has been filled with lots of self-reflection which has provided me with a better understanding of myself and my interactions with the world. After my first year of seminary I had a lot to process, I think I finally got a chance to do that which has been a blessing.

In the past month I've read the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, and Obadiah. I've been challenged by their social vision, words on forgiveness, and boldness in truth. I think their words have shaped my outlook as well and I have to be thankful for that.

This week my life in Mizoram takes a shift as Principal, her son John (whose become a good friend of mine), and her daughter Judith (who has been a new friend as well) all leave to travel to Canada for Judith's wedding. Since I have shared almost every meal with this family, it will be quite different to not have them around. In addition, Judith lives in Canada so today will be the last time I see her. Principal and John return the first week of August which happens to be the last week I am in Mizoram. I am sad that our time together is coming to a close but I am very thankful for all the time we have had together. Principal took me into her home like family and I am grateful for that.

The rest of my week finds me going about the usual itinerary. I have four English classes to teach, a pre-emptive sermon to prepare, and a backpacking trip to plan. English class is still going well, I've now started to switch the focus from grammar to speech so hopefully the students continue to grow from that. Also, in about 2.5 weeks I'm suppose to present a 10-11 page research paper at the AICS Faculty-Student Day. Since copies of my paper will be given to all students and faculty in addition to it undoubtedly being used as a model for everyone, I've decided to edit a research paper I wrote previously so that my work will be good quality.

So as you can see, a "normal week" actually encompasses a lot. Yesterday I counted that in the month I've been here I've spoken 13 times(7 sermons, 6 messages). Rev Zolawma told me that I've spoken more times in one month than he has in a year haha. Come to think of it, I probably need to prepare for my classes tomorrow. I hope all is well back in the states. And if you're a Spanish futbol fan or a Miami Heat fan, I'm sure you're week is going very well.

pax et bonum

Life Moves Pretty Fast Sometimes

Well, it certainly has been a busy time since my last post. Let's see if I can bring you up to speed without writing a book:

This past week we had a seminary volleyball tournament. Each class year formed a team and played each other over the course of the week. The probationary pastors (graduated students returning for a semester of classes after doing a year of ministry before ordination) needed some players so I got drafted to help play in a couple games. All the students enjoyed watching me play as I have very little actual volleyball skills. Granted, I can jump to block and from time to time can set someone up but I have no understanding of the rules or strategy of volleyball. At any rate, I enjoyed playing and I got some good time just hanging out with students which was good. The students are finally comfortable enough to sit and have conversations with me so I am really enjoying their insights and thoughts.

Classes are going well and I am gaining a new respect for teachers. Jamie, Sara, & Co. wow, you have a much tougher job than I expected. I mean, I've always had respect for teachers but you don't realize how much time it takes to plan, teach, and do the grading for a class until you actually do it. But I don't mind as I really enjoy my classes and teaching. Learning English for these students is a tool to greater empowerment so I'm happy that I can offer something to help them achieve their dreams (as sappy as that sounds). It's crazy to think that I only have five more weeks of teaching classes though. Time is flying by.

The past four days here have been a marathon of speaking engagements. On Friday, I was asked to speak at Divine Intervention School. DIS is a non-denominational school teaching over 200 students from levels ranging from 1st grade to 12th grade. Before arriving I had intended to share the same message I did with the high schoolers in Lunglei. However, when I stepped into the room I realized that the students were mainly elementary school. So I quickly had to make up a 20 min speech off the top of my head that would be engaging to children. I managed to pull that off and to teach some kung fu as well which the kids loved.

Sunday I spoke twice: once at Gilead Church to about 30 people and then another time at DIS again. At Gilead I preached about forgiveness in the church, based upon Matthew 18:21-35. Rev. Zolawma said my sermons have been getting better and that I did a great job of contextualizing my sermon. I think my sermons have improved because I finally feel like I have a sense of the people here in Mizoram so I'm more comfortable in letting myself speak more directly to them rather than a very neutral message. At DIS, I spoke on Rom 12:2;9-21 and about not allowing the images of success we see in the media (sex, drugs, money) make us chase after lifestyles that are damaging to us. If I get enough requests to see the sermons I can post them for you but since they'd be so long for this post I just decided not to since I wasn't sure how many people would be interested. Again at DIS I had to change my sermon on stage since I had planned for young kids again but the weekend crowd was mainly JHigh and HS. If you speak in international contexts, always be quick on your feet because you might have to change your sermon as you preach.

Tonight I'm scheduled to preach again, this time to the High School students at Rompelnaut. Last time I put them to sleep talking about the ressurection of the dead so hopefully this time my message will keep them awake. Lately I've been doing well keeping the young people engaged so let's hope I can redeem myself here. Other than that, I have a full week of teaching classes, preaching on Sunday, and will probably start some para-church ministry visits in the next week or so. Looking at the calendar, July feels like it's just going to fly by. I'm both sad and excited about that. I'm sad because I really love being here and have really enjoyed my summer at AICS. On the other hand, ending here means I will begin my 3 week tour of mainland India which is incredibly exciting. But I'm trying not to think about all that too much. As a wise man once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop every once and while to take a look around, you might miss it."

Spend some time living in the present this week friends. Go to a park, go dancing, have an adventure. Until next time...

pax et bonum

Gotta Keep It Movin

So life is really switching into gear here in Mizoram. This past week I went to a wedding, spoke at a business presentation as a creative consultant, preached, and taught classes. Now it seems I'm always moving, especially after being informed that in the next week I will deliver 4 messages in 3 days.

I also had some fun last week at a special event the seminary puts on for "freshers" (new students). During the event, upperclassmen present songs, skits, and even do stand-up. During the program, each fresher is called up to be introduced and to draw a random upperclassmen's name from a hat. The upperclassmen who gets picked then asks the student a funny question. For instance, one guy asked, "So, do you like me?" When the student said "yes," he just stood there in awkward silence then smiled and passed the mic. We all bust out laughing because it was so awkwardly funny the way the guy pulled it off. I really enjoyed the time to gather and have a good laugh at ourselves. That's something I appreciate about the approach to seminary here: full of laughter and fun. Which isn't to say they don't take studies here seriously. Principal Hnuni runs a tight shift but the school is well respected and students move on to great positions so I guess it works out in the end.

I was also presented with gifts from the seminary including a nice Mizo necktie, Mizo bag, and hat. I was very thankful and continue to feel slightly bad about my celebrity status here. Everywhere I go I'm invited to speak or stay. Some times I'll speak at the churches where my fellow AICS-ers are interning before they've recieved a chance to speak. Hopefully these churches provide them opportunities to do so because I feel as though I'm taking people's spots. No one seems too upset so I guess that's good, but still.

On another note, this week marks a full month I've been living here in Mizoram. That's a crazy thought, but I've really enjoyed my time here and I'm sure the next month will go by quickly. I'm still loving teaching english and my students are enjoying all the funny english slang I've been teaching. Last week we learned "what's up?" before moving on to Present Verbs. I think tomorrow will be "high-fives."

I use slang and other items to share about American culture then draw connections with Mizo culture. I've also been assigning free write topics to give my students an opportunity to talk about their culture. This week's question was about gender roles and how the sexes are treated (I gave a talk about the history of gender roles in the US before giving to topic. I saw a couple eyes with glimmers of feminism. Wonderful.)

Well, that's all I have for you now. I'm sure this week will provide enough for me to write about later. It'll give you a chance to catch up on some of those long posts if you hadn't made it through. Hope your summer is going well and I've enjoyed hearing from all of you!

pax et bonum



SHOUT OUT SECTION:
Kirsten- Yea, apocalyptic literature is very interesting and incredibly complex. I bet that was a cool class. Glad to hear your trip is good to go! I've always wanted to go to Egypt so I'm a little jealous. You'll have to take a lot of photos for me and tell me all about it!

Preaching in Mizoram is Easier on TV

So I've met one of my first big challenges that I'll have to overcome during my time in Mizoram: preaching. For those who know me, the challenge might seem odd as I am quite comfortable speaking in front of large crowds. The difficulty comes when I have to speak with a translator, especially if the translator is not fluent in english. As a result, it's tough to build momentum in a message because I have to wait for a minute after each sentence for translation. In addition, to help with translation I've been writing manuscripts. But I really hate manuscripts because I become very mechanical as I read what I wrote and my style of preaching always relies upon the fluid expression of ideas (so I most often preach from an outline).

It's good though, I'm glad I have a challenge I can work on while I'm here. I have all this in mind because last night I was asked to speak at Romplenot (sp?) church in Aizawl. Romplenot is the second largest church in Aizawl with about 700 members. Last Sunday, one of the elders asked that I speak on the "resurrection of the dead" at their Wednesday night Bible study as part of their series on the Second Coming of Christ. I accepted the offer although I knew I would have some difficulty writing the message.

My main difficulty comes from two main points: First, many Christians today are pretty entrenched into whatever ideas they have about the Second Coming. Most people get their ideas from books like Left Behind or some supposed scholar who wrote a book on the subject. As a result, when you preach about this issue everyone feels that they are a scholar on the matter and are deadset in their ways. For instance, many Christians might be upset if I told them that most of the imagery in the book of Revelations has to do with the Roman empire and nothing to do with some future evil political leader. Although I am the one with a bachelor's degree and soon to be masters in the subject who quotes PhD scholars, you'd be surprised how many people want to correct people like me (and quite passionately I might add). So needless to say, I'm always hesitant to speak on such matters.

Second, my personal theology doesn't really emphasize eschatology. Don't get me wrong, I believe in the resurrection of the dead and Jesus enthroned in power. I just don't find conversations about who the anti-Christ is all that important. Jesus, and the rest of the Bible, seems more concerned with how you treat the poor, how we act toward one another, and who God is rather than on the end of time. So I tend to speak on these issues rather than speculating on things we just can't know.

Whew, okay, enough of my soap box. At any rate, I prepared the message for wednesday night with the idea that I'd have about thirty 40-50 yr old church leaders in the crowd. Rev. Zolawma said the crowd would be small with the World Cup going on and few young people would be in attendance. Also, the pastor fancies himself an eschatology expert (go figure) so even Rev. Zolawma told me to be careful in how I crafted my sermon.

But when we arrived, I was informed that over 100 high school students were going to be in attendance (students here stay in dorms like boarding schools so I guess they just invited the dorms or "hostels" as they're called here.). "Perfect," I thought, "I've just written a dense Bible study for old folks and now my crowd is 99% teenagers who could careless about the subject I was given." But when life gives you lemons, some times things go sour.

I'm grown enough to admit that by the end of my 35 mins, many students were snoozing. Even amongst the first 7 rows of all girls (students divided themselves into sections by sex. also, why does God like to mock me?), who were quite interested in a young western man preaching, I had some closed eyes. My 30 or so old folks, who the message was for, seemed to be with me right until the I made my third turn in the message. See, I'm a social justice minded preacher who reads the prophets and doesn't think you should give a message without some practical point. So when I started on the "quit oppressing the poor" and the "go seek forgiveness from someone you've wronged" points, the old folks were not so happy. They wanted to hear about what the new bodies of the resurrected in the future were like, I told them to go clothe the naked bodies that were here. Nevertheless, all the old folks thanked me afterward and I think I'll get a chance to redeem myself with the teenagers later. Rev. Zolawma told me next time he'll have them tell us who will be in the crowd so we can give the proper message. I was thankful for his understanding.

At any rate, below I've posted my message from last night for those avid readers who want to read more. For those of you who are worried my blogs are getting too long, this is the point in the post where you can move on to YouTube or Facebook. So like a nervous singer, I've given you all the reasons why if you don't like the performance not to be too harsh haha. But I'd love to hear feedback on the message if you feel so inclined. Until next time, pax et bonum.




Resurrecting the Dead to Lives of Love and Justice

Tonight we continue the series exploring subject of the Second Coming of Christ or, as theologians would refer to it, eschatology. For those of you unfamiliar with the word, “eschatology” is a term which literally means “the study of the last things.” To be more specific, eschatology studies the end of history. As Christians, we believe that history will conclude with the return of Jesus the Christ. As a result, Dr. Bob Patterson of Baylor University favors referring to eschatology as “the study of Christian hope.” Indeed, the book of Revelations (where Christians draw much of their imagery for the end of time) is a letter written to provide hope to the persecuted Christian community during the first or second century. Tonight, may we find hope in our study of one topic involved in Christian eschatology: the resurrection of the dead.

When we think about what the Bible says about the resurrection of the dead, we often think about the book of Revelations. We might also think about Jesus debating with the Sadducees or Paul writing his first letter to the Corinthians. But I think that few of us think about the prophets Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel. As a matter of fact, the idea of the dead being raised at the end of time originates in the Old Testament. Although we often associate the discussion of the resurrection of the dead with Paul or John of Patmos, our study tonight begins with the prophet Daniel. In the book of Daniel chapter 12 verse 1b-2, the prophet writes,

But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

In the passage from Daniel, we see very clearly the prophet writing about the “awaking” or rising of the dead at the conclusion of history. For Daniel, at the end of time all the dead will rise to either punishment or reward. Although the passage seems very clear, the proper interpretation of the writing was a debated issue around the time of Jesus.

The debate about interpretation was among the three major schools of Judaism that existed in first-century Palestine: the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. Much of our knowledge of these schools of thought comes from the ancient Jewish historian Josephus. Josephus tells us that among these three schools, only the Pharisees and the Essenes believed in the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees, on the other hand, believed “that souls die with the bodies” and therefore rejected the Pharisees’ belief in the resurrection of the dead. As a result, it’s important to keep in mind that the belief in the resurrection of the dead has a long, yet hotly debated history. This history dates back long before Jesus teaches about the end of time or Paul and John of Patmos write about it. In addition, the early Christian teachings concerning the resurrection of the dead develop from a tradition in which the issue is not agreed upon by religious leaders.

Indeed, our only knowledge of Jesus’ position on the issue comes from a dialogue with the Sadducees recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. In the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 20 verses 27-40, Luke writes:

27There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, 28and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. 30And the second 31and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. 32Afterward the woman also died. 33In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife."

34And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, 36for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him." 39Then some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, you have spoken well." 40For they no longer dared to ask him any question.

In verses 34-38, Jesus provides details about the nature of the resurrection of the dead which the apostle Paul will expand upon in his first letter to the Corinthians. Amongst these details, Jesus teaches that those who have been raised to new life can no longer die because they have been made like the heavenly beings. Indeed, those who have been raised from the dead will be equal with the angels and become members of God’s family. Jesus frames his argument in the context of Moses’ confession that the LORD is a god of the living. As a result, those whom God has called his own cannot die because the LORD is not god of the dead but the god of those who live to him.

The information given to us by the prophet Daniel and by Jesus provide a source of great hope. They tell us that God will deliver his people by raising them to new, everlasting life. For God’s chosen, there truly is no “end of time” because they will live forever. But some of you may wonder if it is necessary to believe in the resurrection of the dead considering that the early Jewish teachers in Jesus’ own time did not agree on the subject. Indeed we are left with the question, “do we have to believe in the resurrection of the dead?” If you are secretly asking this question or something like it, then you are not alone. The same question appears to have been asked by the Christians in Corinth during the time of Paul. The apostle addresses the issue by telling the Corinthian church that belief in the resurrection of the dead is essential for Christians. Paul explains his position in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, selected verses beginning with verse 12. He writes:

12Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised...17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished…20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

Paul instructs the Christian community at Corinth that if they do not believe the dead are raised, then they do not believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. Yet such a claim goes against the teachings of Christianity since the belief in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the central teaching and foundational belief of the faith. Indeed if we belief anything which contradicts the teaching of God’s resurrection of Jesus from the dead, then we have rejected the rest of the faith because all other beliefs come from the confession of Jesus’ resurrection. As a result, believing in the resurrection of the dead is incredibly important to our faith and to our understanding of our identity as Christians. As Jesus says, we are sons and daughters of the resurrection. We are the people God will deliver from the grip of death. Since Christ was raised from the dead, so we also look to God’s raising us to everlasting life.

Paul continues his discussion about the resurrection of the dead by addressing the nature of those who will be raised. The writing found here is very similar to the teachings of Jesus found in the Gospel of Luke. If you are interested in further study on the nature of the resurrection of the dead, I encourage you to read the entirety of chapter 15 in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. You will find the way in which the apostle provides hope to Christians based upon faith in Jesus’ overcoming death. But for our time here tonight, we will move on to other issues.

We have now seen that the resurrection of the dead was prophesized by the prophet Daniel, taught by Jesus, and written about by Paul. Each teacher believed the resurrection of the dead was an essential belief of the faith demonstrating God’s love, justice, and promise of hope for his people. But perhaps some of you are still not satisfied with simply the promise of the dead rising. Some may say, “I am not dead or dying so what does this have to do with me?” Or maybe since you cannot experience resurrection until the end of time you might wonder if the belief has any significance for your life today.
For those of you wondering what practical importance belief in the resurrection of the dead has for you, let us turn to Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 6 verses 8-13. The apostle writes:

8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Paul’s message to the Romans tells us that the resurrection of the dead not only gives hope for tomorrow, but challenges us today. If we are raised in Christ from the dead, then we are raised to a new life as well. Such new life begins here and now, given to us upon our baptism in which we participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus. By participating in the death, we no longer allow sin to rule over us; by participating in the resurrection, we live out the teachings of the gospel each day. Therefore, as those who have been raised to new life in Christ, Paul challenges us to daily embody the love of Christ to others. We must not practice corruption, deceitful dealing, and oppression. We must not forget the poor and the needy in their time of trouble. We must not refuse to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the prisoner. Indeed, if we have been raised from the dead then we will daily “learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, [and] plead the widow’s cause,” just as the prophet Isaiah instructs us. Indeed, the resurrection of the dead is not an empty promise for the perishing but it is a challenge for the living. The resurrection of the dead is not a far off hope for some future time, but a hope to be lived today. As the church, we are the community of the resurrected ones; we are the people whose mission it is to bring new light into an often dark world.

The question for tonight’s Bible study is this: are you still living as one who is dead? Are you still without the life-giving breath of love in your life? If so, the apostle Paul calls you to rise to a new way of living found in Christ. Indeed, God is persistently inviting us to participate in his present, yet coming kingdom. The question we must ask ourselves is whether or not we will accept his invitation. Perhaps that means for you that tonight you need to seek forgiveness from a person you have wronged, or to grant forgiveness to a person who has wronged you. Each of us still has times in our lives where we live as those who are dead rather than those who have been raised. So tonight I challenge all of us to awake to new life and to live as those who have been resurrected. We are no longer slaves to sin and bound by death, but have been delivered by God into new life. Now our great hope is in Jesus who is the Christ, the lamb of God, who rescues us from sin. May we also live a life which rescues others from the death of poverty, injustice, and oppression. For in this way we live as true sons and daughters of the resurrection and awake to everlasting life.

Rock n Roll & Mizoram

I thought for a post I'd talk a little about what life is like for people in Mizoram so everyone could gain some perspective on the region:

As I have said before, Mizoram's population is 86% Christian. Further, most of the non-Christians in the region are non-Mizos. Some are mainland Indian working for the government or doing business while others are laborers coming from Burma and other regions to find work. As a result, there is enormous social pressure to be a part of the church. Much like in America just a few decades ago, a person who is not a member of a church is often outcast. Indeed, political leaders make sure to be seen at church on Sunday morning for fear of losing votes if Mizos discovered their leaders were not church folk.

As a result, the church dictates the lives of the people both directly and indirectly. For instance, I was talking with a young teacher during my time in Lunglei about the social lives of young people in Mizoram as compared to the United States. I explained that in the US, it's quite popular for young people to meet at coffee shops, bars, or concerts during the evening to socialize. In sharp contrast, I've discovered that in Mizoram there is virtually no such thing. Around town, shops close down about six or seven leaving the city to look abandoned. Granted, the sun sets early here and family structures guiding dating aren't keen on late night dates. Nevertheless, I expressed my fascination with the lack of social outlets for young people.

The teacher replied that not only did shops closing down affect night life, but the church did as well. "On Wednesday night there will be a special service," she said, "the same with Saturday and all day Sunday. Then there might be a committee meeting on Tuesday or Thursday. The church has so many events that no one has time to do anything at night because they must be at church or they will be looked down on." Perhaps the issue wouldn't be such a point of growing tension in Mizoram were it not for the influx of Western media and a growing number of students being educated outside Mizoram.

As the teacher told me, "many students are now leaving Mizoram to go study at schools in India or elsewhere. These places are very different then Mizoram and have many things to do at night. Not only that, but in TV, movies, and music from the West the young people are seeing people like themselves out dancing and doing things. But for us, it's just a dream or something we read about in books. I am not from Mizoram, so I am use to a night life. But many of my fellow teachers are not so some times I try to ask them why they do not go out. But the thought never crosses their mind because they have never experienced it. The young people who are coming back to Mizoram, however, do know about these things and are frustrated."

Indeed, in the past week I have heard at least two sermons about how the young people are being lost in Mizoram. Low attendence and high dissatisfaction with church services by young people is becoming an increasing issue for the church. Furthermore, many young people are professing faith in different religions (even Satanism). The church has a problem yet most of the heirarchy are unwilling to change in order to reach the young people. For instance, the worship songs sung during service are the same traditional hymns that were song by the old heads way back when. These songs are wonderful for the older generation but the younger generation finds no meaning in them. As is a struggle in the US today, churches find themselves singing in a language that the young people do not understand. Furthermore, the young's experiences of different cultures make them unwilling to perpetuate certain modes of living so popular in Mizoram.

In essence, you can think about Mizoram and the problem of the young people like you can the US and rock n roll during the 1950s. These kids have just listened to Elvis and been to a rock n roll concert only to return to a place that says rock n roll is evil. But the church cannot simply outright reject everything the young people are bringing or it will be cast off because it is no longer relevant to the people. Granted, not everything from the West or other cultures is beneficial to the young people. Trying to imitate rappers talking about "smacking hoes" isn't exactly what we want our young people doing. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean that rap music is bad or Western culture is evil. It does, however, mean that everything must be filtered. The church must quickly learn to be a filter rather than a stop valve or risk the pipe bursting.

But only time will tell in Mizoram. The hierarchy of the church is unwilling to change because they don't see the need to meet the demands of young people. The young people are unwilling to listen to the older generation because they feel they know more. Some one has to give somewhere. But perhaps this is the story of the world: the older generation perserving tradition while the younger generation seeks innovation. I just hope the narrative turns out well here in Mizoram.

Well, that's all you get for today. An update about my weekend and preaching will come later in the week. Maybe today you can, like me, think about whether your church/tradition/faith/group is being a filter or stop valve. What would you do to reach the young people where you live?

Austin, motivational speaker

I'm standing in the middle of a dirt road looking off into the distance as UGK plays on my iPod. I can't help but admire the sun setting behind the mountains. Mountains, which are so numerous the landscape looks like green waves of jungle rolling off into the horizon. Behind me is a small waterfall the construction workers use to cool off from the hot summer sun. I've been walking up and down this narrow dirt road loving called an express highway for about an hour now. Landslides, which are frequent in the rainy season, have a way of holding up traffic. This won't be the last time that my travels will be haulted for a time because of falling rocks. In fact, any time I'm traveling around Mizoram I can see sections of the roadways blocked by rocks who have inconveniently fallen where cars should pass. I never really see any damages or injuries from these landslides (deaths rarely occur here from them), they just stop traffic for a while. As if Mother Nature wanted us to stop for a second to admire her. The road I'm standing on leads from Mizoram to Lunglei, a journey of about 100 miles. However, the trip will take about six hours to complete because there's no such thing as a straight road in Mizoram. The only roads that exist are the kind that snake through the mountains making their way in zig-zag fashion to whatever destination. I'm also traveling to a higher altitude making the trip more difficult on our tired wannabe-jeep with a new tire.

I'm headed to Lunglei to visit the Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM) headquarters. Unlike other Baptists, the Baptists in Mizoram have centralized themselves to this southern city. Thinking about the US, I wonder if Baptists just like southern places naturally. The next day is an important day for Principal Hnuni, filled with meetings for various church government groups. I have been informed that my day will be spent visiting classes at the local school.

In non-chalant fashion and without any big announcement, construction vechiles begin leaving the area signalling the road has been cleared. We make it to Lunglei in time for a late meal and time to watch a World Cup match. And so begins a hectic week of traveling and speaking for me.

Wednesday morning I am woken up to a knock at the door to my guest room on the top floor of the BCM. Luckily, I slept in my clothes so I answer the door to find Principal Hnuni informing me of my itinerary for the day. At 6 am, I'm not fully awake but I am able to catch "go to my daughter's house for breakfast" and "you will speak to students at the secondary school." And just like that, my day begins.

After a quick breakfast I'm lead into the Principal's office of the high school attached to the BCM. He is happy to have me and would like for me to speak to two classes (one 11th grade and the other 12th grade). I'm happy to oblige and am told to say whatever I would like. That seems to be a theme here, "say whatever you like," as if no particular direction is needed to talk to high school students or large congregations in Mizoram.

After meeting some faculty members, I am lead to the 11th grade class. A shy class, all sitting on long benches in front of their shared wooden tables. There are three columns of five rows filled with students. I begin to talk about the importance of education and how "education is something no one can take from you" (thanks Mimi). I talk about how "knowledge is power" and how they can achieve whatever dreams they want if they work hard. I can't help but feel like a corny motivational speaker. The kind that comes to your school trying to convince you not to do drugs or have sex. But I do my best to use the opportunity to open their eyes to the possibilities of traveling outside Mizoram or even India for school. I remind them that everything from the West isn't great and to never forget where they came from. I don't want them to forget that they have a rich culture and history even though the West seems so appealing. Apparently something works, as after waiting for a bit during Q&A time I get a question on how scholarships work. How do you get one? Where can I go? Success.

Instead of two classes, I end up talking to three. Every class gets the same speech, same message. Value your education and your heritage. I'll probably never know, but I hope one of them pursues a scholarship somewhere. Now I know how all those motivational speakers felt standing before a large group of blank faces hoping something you say matters to someone and will make a difference. Afterwards, the Principal will give me a small plaque from the school given to teachers and visitors for my work. I'd trade it to know the future of just one kid I talked to but the universe doesn't work like that.

Next I visit the junior school where children from first to seventh attend. I'm really there just to meet up with Principal's daughter so I can go rest but that doesn't happen. I meet up with the daughter but out of courtesy she introduces me around the office. As soon as "Princeton Theological Seminary" gets dropped, I am now getting firmer handshakes and more interested looks. I get asked to speak to a class of fifth graders on "whatever you like." So in a flash I am walked over to the class, handed a piece of chalk, and left in front of 30 tiny fifth grades in school uniforms eagerly awaiting the final bell which will sound in thirty minutes. The class is very shy to talk to me, as most Mizos are with Westerners even if they speak some English, so I begin to talk about whatever I want. I tell them that I'm from Texas and talk about all the wonderful things found there. How we have cowboys and cows with huge horns, how we helped put a man on the moon, and have a basketball team called "the spurs." Surprisingly, it all seems relatively cohesive. I ask who they want to win the World Cup and poll the class. Brazil is surprisingly popular, followed by Argentina. But, the most popular was the USA (course, only because I was asking). The bell rings and the children rush off to enjoy their childhoods.

I return to my guesthouse for some much needed rest before being informed I'm due at HATIM professional school to talk to a small group of twenty-somethings working for degrees in business and computer science. After a full tour of the new school, I deliver a speech about how they are the next leaders of tomorrow and in charge of leading Mizoram to a brigther future. If only I had gold stickers to hand out at this point. Although I feel like a sappy speaker, every time I speak people are happy with what I said. That's good I guess, I just wish I knew the people better so I could speak more specifically but you make lemonade when you have to. Now I know what all those commencement speakers feel like when trying to imagine what encouraging words to say before a group of fresh college grads eager to begin adulthood. But I'm happy to get the chance to speak in front of people and hopefully at some point they realize that despite the articulations of helping the system they are probably given everyday, they truly are the shapers of tomorrow. Lets hope we make it a good one.

Afterwards, we head to a relative of Principal Hnuni's house for dinner. The next morning begins promptly at 5:45 with a knock on the door from a nice AICS graduate in charge of walking me over to the Assistant General Secretary's house. I have tea there (a reminent of British occupation) and move to shake more hands before we head south again to visit Principal Hnuni's mother-in-law's home. It's a two hour journey but an important one to make.

Judith, Principal Hnuni's daughter who's been traveling with us, is in Mizoram for the first time since 2007. She lives in Canada now, where she just completed college and recently got married. The cost of travel means she can't visit often so this may be the last time in a few years she'll be able to visit. Her grandmother is so old that traveling to Mizoram for the wedding ceremony just a couple weeks ago was impossible. As difficult as it is to realize, we all know this may be the last time she sees her grandmother amongst the living. The reality makes me feel like a true foreigner for the first time since I arrived. No longer was the food different, customs different, language different but now I felt as though I didn't belong. Course, Mizo culture is so hospitable no one minded.

In fact, my entire time there everyone was delighted to have me. Family members took pictures with me and invited me into family photos. I made sure enough got taken without me in them though just so years from now when Judith is looking at her photos a random Texan isn't all of the sudden inserted into a memory of her grandmother. I enjoy a good time there although most of them don't speak English. My time in Mizoram has made me a much quieter individual. I sit in silence as people talk around me in a language that sounds quite fun. I'm constantly reminded of Shifu Jia's comment to me when I was in China, "Austin, you are always thinking. I always see you looking off thinking." I guess that's never truer than here. But I enjoy it and at times Principal will turn to me and narrate the conversation thus far so I can laugh about whatever joke has been told. Although we don't share a language, everyone does their best to incorporate me and show me kindness. Americans might remember their codes of hospitality now long forgotten.

We spend the night there and at 6:30 head back to Lunglei. There we eat a late breakfast with a professor before taking a tour of the BCM. I am introduced to just about every worker there and share the same small talk with everyone. It's a quick hour trip in total before we are back in the car headed to Aizawl. We reach AICS just before 6 and needless to say I am exhausted. In four days I've traveled more than 300 miles of mountain terrain, met almost every key leader of the Baptist church, spoken to over 100 students, met at least 30 family members, and never eaten more than 2 meals in the same place.

If you come to Mizoram be prepared for travels. Also, know that road side vendors in villages sell really great fruit for real cheap. And "hotel" in some places just means a restaurant. Well, I think I've exhausted the majority of my travels for the week in this post. Look forward to another post on some insights into Mizo culture and my sermon for Sunday. Hope all is well in the States. This week, go have an adventure or eat at some hole in the wall restaurant. Adventure is confined to Mizoram, it's all around you. Go find it.

pax et bonum

SHOUT OUT SECTION:
Mom- Wow, didn't know my blog was so popular. I'll have to make sure I keep doing interesting things then haha

Mamaw & Papaw- Yes, my students are enjoying themselves. They love to hear trivia about the US and to learn kung fu!

Sara- Well maybe when I get back to the US I can teach you some kung fu moves so you can get another job teaching English. Teaching English is very little grammar and lots of kung fu I've found haha

Church visits and Bruce Lee

Yesterday I experienced my first real Sunday in Mizoram and what a day it was! Mizo spirituality celebrates Sunday, "the Lord's Day," in ways much forgotten by most Christians in the West. On Sundays, prayer services begin at 5 am and are attended by most of the community. Thankfully, Madam Hnuni didn't require my attendance at this service or I would have been struggling for the rest of the day haha. The next service is held at around 11 am.

Culturally, Mizos are a singing people so services entail at least double the standard worship set of songs found in American churches. However, the Mizo Christians were evagelized to primarily by Baptists and Presbyterians. These churches eventually became independently recognized but still remain part of the global community. As a result, many of the songs that are sung in churches are translated versions of songs popular in the West (i.e. "Amazing Grace"). Nevertheless, Mizos have also written many of their own worship songs which are sung as well during worship.

Service at 11 usually lasts for about 1.5 - 2 hours. The service encompasses many of the same aspects of a typical Western service: welcome, greeting, songs, sermon, offering, closing prayer. After the service, congregants get a small break before Sunday school at 3 or 3:30. Lasting for the same amount of time, congregants only have about two hours before Vespers service begins at 7. Basically, if you want to attend church on Sunday in be prepared for a marathon haha.

I originally thought I would be preaching but at 8 am I was informed that the dates got switched and wouldn't be preaching until the 20th. I was, however, in charge of giving the "greeting" to the congregation. A "greeting," as I found out, is really more like a mini-sermon than a welcome. The speaker really just says whatever he/she wants. So I basically gave a 5 min version of my sermon and talked about unity in the body of Christ. Next week, after my sermon, I'll post the manuscript so you can read it. The greeting apparently went well (I had to have a translator) and I made everyone laugh by the way I described Texas as "the land of cowboys."

In other news, apparently everyone in Mizoram loves kung fu. On Saturday I taught basic kung fu (punch, block, stand like a crane, etc) for about 20 mins. All the AICS students loved it and enjoyed making their best bruce lee/jackie chan sounds as they did it. I'm now suppose to teach each Saturday until my time ends here. On top of that, Sunday I made a visit to a local children's school here. I'm not sure whether it's an orphanage or a school (the language wasn't clear) but I was invited to come speak twice the first week of July. As part of my message on the importance of education, I was asked to teach kung fu for 20-30 mins. Basically, if Billy Graham and Bruce Lee had a child you would have me in Mizoram haha. But seriously, I'm enjoying teaching kung fu to everyone who wants to learn so it's great.

I'm making this post a little long because you probably won't hear from me until Friday. Tuesday I leave for a trip to visit the Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM) headquarters. The Baptists and Presbyterians in Mizoram are incredibly powerful, possessing enormous influence (even on the state government). In addition, as the headquarters they have important information about all the churches in the state including those involved with the tribes and in specialized ministries. The BCM is located in the middle of the state so it's going to be a 3 day trip with visits and travel time included. But I'll be back Friday and hopefully find time to post about my adventures before the craziness of the weekends gets underway.

Well, it's breakfast time here in Mizoram so I've got to go. I have a big day of writing and preparation for classes/sermons so I'll be in front of a computer for most of the day. Hope all is well stateside!

pax et bonum.

THOUGHTS:
The monk life of AICS has had me reading the Bible everyday. I've decided to make my way through the prophets while I'm here starting with Isaiah. I finished the book yesterday and I've got to say, I love Isaiah. I think we would be best friends. Isaiah 58 is wonderful. Balance of tough criticism and hope. Interesting that we spend so little time exploring the message of the prophets in our churches when Jesus relied heavily upon them in his own ministry. I feel as though we are missing an essential aspect of understanding Jesus' vision for reality by not studying the prophets closely. More on that in a later post.

I've also been writing again which is great. On the encouragement of Jamie, I'll post one of the things I've written since I've been here. I wrote it in response to the countless times I've heard the term "globalization" since I've been here. Everyone wants to be "globalized." In commercials, conversations, markets, businesses, and churches I've seen how everyone wants to take on the image of the west. I can walk down the street to see young kids dressed "emo" and "punk" while hearing akon on the radio. But it's also tough to see the ways in which globalization takes away the cultural distinctives of each region. "To be globalized" all too often means "to be like the West." So I wrote this piece (bear in mind I'm not a poet).

Globalization
Hey kid, you want some of this globalization?
Comes in bags made of neo-imperialist westernization
I know, I know its pretty confusing right?
But don't worry, one of these and you'll never have to sleep at night
You can stay up to watch the flashing lights of consumerism
Selling anything from sex, drugs, to philosophical -isms
One hit and you'll be hooked to my drug I'm sure
You'll never want to leave; a disease with no cure
Sure you can fight it, but everyone's takin hits
So even without it, I'll take your culture bit by bit
See, my precious drug eats away at your heart
Dismantling your values like they're a broken car part
Take away your family structure; give you a Christian name
All so you can chase my false Hollywood fame
You'll forget who you are so I can tell you where you're going
I'll steal your cultural heritage without you even knowing
I'll make you walk, talk, and act like me
And with all my money and power, who wouldn't want to be?
The price? Simple, just give me your soul
I'm not talkin 'bout part son, I'm talkin 'bout the whole
Maybe if I collect enough I'll fill the void inside
Cuz my greed has destroyed me in ways tough to hide
But you still want some don't ya? Can find me on the corner in
a nice suit pushin packs of Mickey Mouse, hip-hop, and Ralph Lauren
So go ahead kid, tell all ya friends what I got to sell
Makin terminal addicts is my game, and I do it very well

The Professor

So I just finished my second English class, hoping to finish this post before the storm comes and knocks out the power.

I teach two English classes here at the AICS, one for first year M.Div.'s and the other for B.D.'s. Interestingly enough, an M.Div here is primarily for students looking to become missionaries. A B.D. (bachelors degree) is actually a masters level program more like the M.Div degree in the states. I have two students in my M.Div. class and 29 in my B.D. class. Which makes me wonder, can I call myself Professor Almaguer now? I mean, I am teaching masters level classes at a popular seminary? Just sayin.

Anyways, my two classes couldn't be more different. My M.Div's I've got to feel sorry for. There is no place to hide from my questions when there is only two people. The class is also smaller so it's a much more intimidating setting. Their English is not as strong either so we had some difficulty with complete sentences and identifying whether a complete idea was present in the sentence or not. Of course, I need to work on clarity as well and understanding vocabulary levels.

My B.D. class seems to be much more advanced with some practically yawning at my lecture on nouns and pronouns today. Next week I'll try the complete sentence session with them and see how that goes over. They're also a much more lively bunch which is good because it will help me tailor the class better to them. I made it interesting by teaching them about American slang. They learned the word "cool" and laughed when I used the pronoun section to explain why Americans use phrases like "you guys" and "y'all." Any suggestions on funny slang or cultural phrases I should teach them? They also love hearing how people in different places in the United States use different words (i.e. soda vs pop vs coke). The faculty found it humorous that Americans have so many regional sayings.

I had forgotten until I got here that I sent in my resume to AICS during my international field ed application process. As a result, Rev. Zolawma knew that I studied kung fu since my resume mentioned that I was VP of Baylor Kung Fu club. Well, little did I know that my kung fu would make me immensely popular around here. There have been at least three times some member of the faculty in jest or in talking about me has mentioned that I am a kung fu teacher. So this morning during announcements, Principal Hnuni was talking about how on saturday she wants everyone to get together for some exercise. Apparently someone on campus is going to teach some tai chi, how authentic or what style that is I have yet to see. Anyways, when Principal announced saturday excerise someone said aloud, "and kung fu." Which started a sea of voices clammering for kung fu. Hnuni smiled and said, "yes! and our very own kung fu master will teach kung fu!" Everyone laughed and after chapel some guys said to me they will be excited for kung fu on saturday. So now I am teaching a kung fu class haha. Who knew in Mizoram kung fu would be so popular?

I was informed yesterday that I will be preaching Sunday with one of the students translating for me in the second largest church in Mizoram which is exciting. However, it also means I need to type a manuscript of my sermon (something I never do). As much as I'd like to blog more, I need to go hang out with some students and work on my sermon. Thanks to everyone who has commented or emailed me, enjoy hearing from everyone!

pax et bonum.


SHOUT OUT SECTION:
Kirsten- Glad to hear you are enjoyin MD. I imagine each day you walk away with a lot of different emotions. Hope you have some people to process both the joys and the pains with. I look forward to hearing some great stories from you when I get back!

Adventures in Conversations

So I know it may be a little premature, but I think I'm going to love it here. I've had such a great time already it's hard to see how I could possibly be unhappy here for the next couple months. Everyone is incredibly friendly and reminds me daily how happy they are to have me here. The faculty are great and are very interested in life in the United States as well as seminary life. I've even had to print out the cirriculum for PTS so they could take a look at the requirements. The students are also very happy to have me here which makes it all the more fun. I had one student tell me that he used to wish he could meet a real English person so he could have a conversation with him/her so he is now over joyed to meet me. His feelings are mutual as I do my best to remind people that I am here to learn as well and am grateful they have accepted me here.

One of my favorite conversation partners thus far has been Rev. Dr. Thanzauva, the husband of the principal. His is a prominent leader in the Baptist church in Mizoram and influential in other places in India as well. His PhD dissertation focused on Liberation Theology and he is constantly at work to develop new programs to help the poor. Needless to say, our intellectual interests are quite similar. We've spent a great deal of time talking about the church in Mizoram and various subjects of the church. He is leaving tomorrow for Delhi which is sad, but I've greatly enjoyed what conversations I've had with him as they've helped me learn a lot about Mizos and Christians in general.

I've also had good conversations with my supervisor Rev. Zolawma and Principal Hnuni as well. In addition, I'm enjoying the atmosphere around campus as well. The students and faculty make jokes about one another in chapel and there is an air of joy around here. For example, the retreat we had here over the weekend was incredibly draining for everyone. Mainly because we had at least three hour and a half sessions everyday in addition to other events. So by the time Sunday night came, everyone was exhausted. At the final service, the students made a song to sing to the principal to beg her to give everyone holiday for a day on the first week of class to rest. The song began "our principal who art in stardom, your queedom come...please give us Tuesday as holiday. Or at least Monday." It was hilarious. Faculty also opening joke about other members falling asleep during chapel, they did a group song, and other funny things. It's quite a contrast from Princeton where most people are far too stiff. If President Torrance made some good jokes at chapel I think I might actually go haha.

Rev. Zolawma has basically granted me complete freedom in ministry/teaching/life this summer which is exciting. What that translates to is that I gave him a list of the ministries I wanted to visit (AIDS clinic, drug rehab center, leprosy mission) and he added some places he thought I'd like to visit as well. It's great that everyone here is so open to helping me. One of the faculty told me today, "let us know if there are any requirements you need for Princeton. We will make sure they get fulfilled." Their willingness makes me want to have the best English class ever to give back. First class is Thursday, let's hope I can live up to the hype.

Tonight over dinner the faculty and I had a long discussion on Texas. Apparently, cowboy movies are really popular in Mizoram. Even books about cowboys have been translated into Mizo so that people can read them. They loved hearing some stories about Texas Rangers and how Texans think they are so much better than everyone else. I continue to find it funny that no matter where I go in the world people love to talk to me about Texas. The United States is great and all, but Texas is what gets them excited. Got to love it.

Well, that's about all I have for now. Been writing again which is cool and have been reading. I'll post again probably friday after my first two classes so you can hear about them. Hope all is well back home!

pax et bonum.


SHOUT OUT SECTION:
Harv- haha yea, the landscape at times can be like a Star Wars film. I might call Aizawl cloud city the way the entire town becomes engulfed in clouds some time. I've always wanted to walk in a cloud, now I have. Lets just hope it's not a trap.

Sara- Estoy celoso de tu sol! Llueve aqui todos los dias. Disfrute del sol para mi!